Wholesome Magazine | Page 3

PROFILE | 3

5 minutes with ... Gary Mehigan

MasterChef judge , restaurateur and cookbook author Gary Mehigan spoke to Wholesome about how he became a chef and what he ’ s cooking this winter .

I ORIGINALLY WANTED TO BE AN ENGINEER LIKE MY FATHER .

My grandfather was a chef and at a young age I didn ’ t really understand what that meant . We were really close and as I started spending more time with him when he was cooking , I began learning from him .

He tried to put me off following in his footsteps , stressing the long hours and hard work involved , but I wasn ’ t deterred . I started a part-time job in a kitchen and absolutely loved it . I still do – there is nothing like the thrill of creating delicious meals , perfectly and on time . I love the emotive and creative side of cooking and the process , technical skill and patience it takes to produce great dishes .

I LOVE MELBOURNE IN THE WINTER .

I get to put on my big winter coat and sip lattes in the bracing cold . It ’ s easy to get mothballed in the deepest , darkest days of winter but with two dogs you can ’ t stay inside for too long . I try to walk Fergus and Molly , my great danes , at least twice a day . It ’ s a moment of solitude during very busy days and I find this centres me .

NO MATTER THE WEATHER , YOU ’ LL FIND ME RIDING MOTORCYLES UP IN THE HILLS OR BOXING IN MY LOCAL GYM .

I started boxing a couple of years ago to try to balance food and exercise and I ’ ve never looked back . I love how dynamic and fit you have to be but I still laugh at myself when I ’ m in the ring . I ’ ve also started flying lessons – I think I ’ ve finally reached a time in my life when I can afford it ! The lessons are great fun and I ’ m hoping to eventually get my recreational pilot ’ s licence .

WINTER IS A FANTASTIC TIME TO COOK HEARTY , WARM AND SATISFYING DISHES .

My mum used to use a pressure cooker in the ’ 70s but that doesn ’ t put me off , it ’ s perfect for creating winter dishes in half the time . This is the time of year for lamb shanks , braised ribs and big bowls of pasta . My Vitamix makes the silkiest purées , which I like to pair with roasts or winter braises . Sometimes I add stock and water to make the purée into a delicious soup with unexpected vegetables like celeriac and Jerusalem artichokes . I have chunky soups and broths over toasted sourdough , but when I blend a soup until it ’ s creamy in the Vitamix , I serve it with cheesy toasts which is a family favourite . All you need it some good sourdough , grated cheddar or gruyère with a pinch of black pepper .

It ’ s also important to cook with seasonal produce ; it ’ s cheaper and tastes better than anything transported from overseas . Farmers markets are a great place to ask for advice on what to try next . As a foodie I ’ m always in search of people who are as passionate as I am about food , so I seek out butchers , bakers and markets for quality produce and advice .

Want more content like this ? SUBSCRIBE to Wholesome for your dose of exclusive interviews , wellness tips and recipes .

AT OUR HOUSE , EVERYONE SITS DOWN FOR AT LEAST ONE MEAL TOGETHER EVERY DAY .

My daughter is 16 now so she may roll her eyes but she still joins in . One of my favourite things about family meals is that they often lead to interesting and unexpected conversations . I do all the cooking in my house ; I have a romantic idea of cooking with my wife but it never seems to happen ! A lot of people think chefs don ’ t want to take their work home but if you love what you do , creating meals is never a chore .

I ’ M A TOTAL FRANCOPHILE .

The best thing about England is France , as they say , and I love to journey to Europe every couple of years if I can . I ’ m obsessed with French cheese and if there ’ s a selection of artisanal cheeses , I ’ m like a man with 10 arms . I want to immerse myself in the culture of each place I go to and food is one of the ways we can truly experience another country .

I also love to travel closer to home so I ’ ll follow food trails in Western Australia and Far North Queensland or embrace the cold and head to Victoria ’ s King Valley . There ’ s nothing like a delicious excuse for a great glass of wine .

THE MASTERCHEF JUDGES ARE LIKE BROTHERS TO ME .

We get on ridiculously well off screen and we ’ re all such food nerds , we ’ re perfect company for each other . We went on a trip to Japan recently and before we even left , we ’ d planned a full food itinerary from restaurants to street food . We had a fantastic time trying all the dishes and I ’ m sure we had one experience and the contestants had a totally different one .

Being a MasterChef judge for the last nine years has been an absolute pleasure and I ’ m already looking forward the next season . Next up , I ’ m venturing into the world of podcasts with ‘ A Plate to Call Home ’. I ’ m loving the opportunity to have prolonged conversations with food artisans , farmers and chefs . I spoke to a woman by the name of Madeleine Scott recently who started her egg business , Madeline ’ s Eggs at just 8 years old and now , at 24 , she ’ s one of the best organic farmers in Mount Macedon , Victoria .

Catch Gary and Vitamix in action on Masterchef , currently airing weeknights on Channel 10 . Follow Gary on his podcast adventures by liking A Plate to Call Home Facebook page .

← PREVIOUS PAGE CONTENTS

UP NEXT → A LITTLE BIT OF ... HYGGE

SUBSCRIBE for future editions